Chennai, Nov 4:
Surgeons at Prashanth Hospitals in Chennai have successfully performed a high-risk cardiac procedure to save the life of a 51-year-old patient diagnosed with a massive, severely torn aorta measuring 10.5 cm in diameter. The main blood vessel had developed a dangerous wall tear, placing the patient at imminent risk of a fatal rupture before emergency intervention was carried out.
The complex surgical intervention was led by Dr. Koushik Kannan, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon, alongside Dr. Sushma Nandipati, Senior Consultant in Cardiothoracic Anesthesia & Critical Care. The patient had initially presented at the hospital with severe chest distress and sharply elevated blood pressure, prompting immediate diagnostic workup that confirmed extensive vascular damage near the root of the heart.
To repair the extensive tear, the surgical team performed a Modified Bentall procedure, which involved excising the diseased aortic segment, replacing the aortic valve, reimplanting the coronary arteries supplying the heart muscle, and reconstructing a section of the aortic arch. During the critical phase of the repair, systemic blood circulation was halted, and the patient’s body temperature was lowered to 18°C under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest to safeguard vital organs and brain tissue.
Speaking about the case, Dr. Koushik Kannan, Consultant – Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Prashanth Hospitals, said, “The case was particularly challenging, as the aorta, the main blood vessel carrying blood from the heart to the rest of the body, had enlarged significantly and its wall had weakened due to a tear. The surgery required careful planning and precise coordination, particularly during the phase when blood circulation was temporarily stopped to repair the damaged vessel. Completing a critical stage of the surgery in approximately 13 minutes reflects the precision and coordination of the surgical team. We are pleased that the patient recovered well and was discharged on the fifth day after surgery.”